Holistic Health Strategies for a Happier Workforce

We asked our readers an important question. And this is what we found:

If you have still not considered the holistic wellbeing of your employees, this is your cue to get started! 

Holistic workplace wellness is the key to organizational success. While traditional wellness programs focus only on the physical wellbeing of the employees, a holistic approach takes care of the employee holistically. 

Why a Holistic Health Approach is Important

Traditionally, HR leaders have always focused on bettering the physical health of their employees - such as offering sick leaves, health insurance, or annual health checkups.

However, a holistic wellness approach not only takes care of physical health but allows employees to develop a better lifestyle by focusing on physical, mental, financial, social, occupational, and intellectual aspects. When every aspect of their lives is improved, employees feel happier. And when employees feel happy:

• They're 92% more likely to stay engaged in their work
• 65% are more likely to be loyal to their workplace
• And 56% likely to feel more productive

In this article, we will help you to understand and develop holistic wellness strategies for a happier workforce.

Why Holistic Wellness Matters

There's not just one but several reasons why holistic wellness matters and why employers should pay attention to it.

Holistic wellness improves employee retention, a key aspect to consider when job hopping has become a common trend. The Bureau of Labor Statistics mentions that, on average, a worker may have held 12.5 jobs before age 55. This is certainly not good news for organizations. Corporate wellness programs have a vital role to play in enticing employees to stick around, especially after COVID-19.

When organizations have holistic wellness programs designed for their employees, it shows that they care for their people. Showing a reasonable amount of care not just motivates employees to stay productive but also builds brand loyalty.

Finally, a holistic wellness program builds a happy and healthy workforce.

Holistic Health Strategy Ideas for HR Managers

As mentioned, a holistic strategy should dive deep into every aspect of life, not just physical health. Here’s what you can do:

Physical Wellness

Few things that you can start doing are:

Start a healthy eating program by offering healthy choices in your office canteen, cafeteria, and vending machines. Include more fruits, vegetables, and unsaturated fat food options over unhealthy options. Encourage employees to choose water as a beverage over sugary drinks, tea, or coffee.

Conduct healthy eating seminars and webinars to educate employees about making the right food choices.

Conduct regular fitness challenges where employees can come together and play outdoor games. Offering gym memberships is also a great idea, especially if you have more remote workers.

Support Mental Health

Providing mental health support is no longer a nice-to-have but a must-have at workplaces. Positive mental health helps employees stay focused at work and adapt quickly to constantly changing workplace dynamics. Start with small changes like:

• Offering flexible work schedules
• Providing unlimited PTO to take care of mental health
• Having a dedicated quiet zone to relax

Alternatively, you can also get started with Manah's LEAP program, that’s specifically designed for HR managers to implement at their workplaces right away.

Focus on Financial Health

Financial stress due to inflation, layoffs, high cost of living, debt payment, and sponsoring dependents can all cause distractions for employees, making them unable to focus on work. Employers can support by:

• Designing financial education workshops about personal finances. Cover topics like budget planning, saving tips, reducing debts, etc.
• Partnering with third parties who can take care of the financial planning of employees to help manage their money better.
• You can provide access to financial wellness tools for personalized financial coaching and education.

For example, LearnLux offers digital education and on-demand coaching on financial advising, where employees can learn about healthcare taxes, emerging financial trends, etc.

Intellectual Wellbeing

Intellectual wellbeing can be taken care of by offering learning opportunities that focus on mental stimulation. Offering educational sponsorships for higher studies, book club memberships, reimbursing course fees, and mentorship programs are all great ways to take care of the intellectual wellbeing of employees.

Occupational Wellbeing

Occupational wellbeing takes care of the working environment of employees. This may include investing in ergonomic evaluations, offering flexible work routines, and app reminders to take breaks between meetings.

Ensuring Employee Participation

Building a holistic health strategy is the first step in creating a happier workforce. However, no strategy will be successful unless your employees have wholehearted participation. Here are some tips that will help you get maximum participation:

Consider Employee Needs

Every employee has different needs. While one may need programs to improve their mental health, others may need programs for their financial wellbeing. Consider employees as individuals and design programs that cater to their specific needs.

Understand Their Goals

Start with understanding the employees' health status and goals. Conducting employee surveys is a good way to understand their requirements.

Incentivize

Even with a top-class wellness program, you may find it hard to see participation. Incentivizing can work as a motivational tool to help employees break their lifestyle habits and commit to the program.

Need help to build a happier workforce? Get in touch with Manah Wellness today. 

FAQs

What is holistic workplace wellness?

It's a comprehensive approach focusing on employees' physical, mental, financial, social, occupational, and intellectual well-being to create happier workers.

How can companies increase employee participation in wellness programs?

Offer personalized programs based on individual needs and provide incentives to motivate participation in wellness initiatives.